1953 Atlantic hurricane season (Layten)
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was a below average relatively deadly period of the year that favoured the formation of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The season began on June 1, and ran until November 30, the time of year that delimits the time most Atlantic tropical cyclones develop in any given year. This season began with the discovery of what would eventually become Tropical Storm Allison on June 23, and ended with the last known position update on Hurricane Irene on November 7. During the season, at least 3,417 people were killed, with the known damages totalling to $1.145 billion. Storms Tropical Storm Allison The first storm of the season formed as a tropical depression on June 23 well offshore of the northern Yucatan Peninsula. Moving towards the north, the depression intensified into a tropical storm later the same day, being named Allison in the process. As Allison approached the coast of Texas, it began to slow down as it rounded a deep layered ridge of high pressure, turning towards the northeast just prior to landfall. Once inland, Allison quickly weakened, and degenerated to a remnant low over eastern Texas late on June 26, before dissipating completely several hours later. Whilst active, Allison was the cause of 2 deaths, and $27 million in damages. Tropical Storm Barbara This system was first noted as it formed as a tropical depression off the northwestern Bahamas and the Florida Atlantic Coast. Later the same day, the system moved over Florida and out into the Gulf of Mexico, where it intensified into a tropical storm the following day, being named Barbara in the process. Over the next few days, Barbara steadily intensified, and reached peak intensity shortly before making landfall in Louisiana on July 22. Once inland, Barbara turned to the northeast and began to weaken, and became extratropical over Mississippi on July 23. The remnants of Barbara persisted for 12 hours, until they dissipated over northern Mississippi. Whilst active, Barbara was the cause of 5 deaths, and at least $65 million in damages. Hurricane Charlotte This system was first noted as it formed as a tropical depression to the north of Puerto Rico on August 8, before intensifying into a tropical storm later that day as it moved off towards the north-northwest, receiving the name Charlotte in the process. On August 10, Charlotte became a hurricane, and peaked the following day as a Category 2 whilst rounding the periphery of a subtropical ridge. Heading out to sea, Charlotte steadily weakened, before becoming extratropical on August 13 about midway between the North Carolina Outer Banks and Bermuda, before dissipating completely several hours later. Whilst active, Charlotte caused no known deaths or damages, besides having moved through the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas as a hurricane. Hurricane Danielle This system was first noted to the west of the Lesser Antilles as a tropical depression on August 19, before moving off generally towards the west and intensifying into a tropical storm early the next day, receiving the name Danielle in the process. Late on August 21, Danielle became a hurricane, and continued to steadily intensify, before peaking as a Category 3 hurricane on August 23 whilst approaching landfall on the Belize-Yucatan Peninsula border region. Once inland, Danielle rapidly weakened, and emerged into the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm early the following day, before reintensifying into a hurricane later that day before moving ashore along the coast of mainland Mexico. Once inland, Danielle again rapidly weakened, and dissipated on August 25 over the mountains, having caused the deaths of 91 people and $105 million in damages whilst active. Tropical Storm Emily This system was first noted as a tropical storm on September 2 a few hundred miles to the southwest of Bermuda, being named Emily in the process. Emily moved off towards the northeast, a motion it would continue for its entire life, and went extratropical on September 4, having only caused minor impacts to the coasts of Bermuda. As an extratropical cyclone, Emily raced off towards the northeast, and eventually dissipated the following day. Tropical Depression Six This system was first noted as it formed as a tropical depression to the north of Jamaica on September 12. Initially heading towards the west-northwest, the depression dramatically slowed the following day, before slowly turning towards the northwest and hitting western Cuba on September 14. Moving over the island, the depression began to lose definition, and emerged into the Atlantic as a remnant low the following day, dissipating completely several hours later. Whilst active, extreme rainfalls occurred across much of the region affected, leading to 234 deaths, and at least $205 million in damages. Hurricane Francine This system was first noted as a tropical storm to the east of the Lesser Antilles on September 27, receiving the name Francine in the process, and intensifying into a hurricane the next day shortly before moving through the Lesser Antilles. Once in the Caribbean, Francine began to steadily intensify, and by October 1 was an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane. Making a near miss in Jamaica as at that intensity as the eyewall hugged the southern coast, Francine wrought havoc on the island, which had been hit by Hurricane Anne the year before, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. The following day, Francine intensified even further, and attained a peak intensity of 180 mph whilst moving through the Cayman Islands. On October 3, Francine finally began to weaken, and emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, before making landfall in Alabama as a Category 3 hurricane on October 5, before turning towards the northeast. Once inland, Francine rapidly weakened, and became extratropical over Tennessee, before dissipating completely early the following day. Whilst active, this extremely devastating tropical cyclone caused at least 3055 deaths, and caused $613 million in damages, making it the costliest hurricane of its time. Hurricane Gail This system was first noted as a tropical depression well to the northeast of the Lesser Antilles on October 7. Moving generally towards the west-northwest, the system attained tropical storm intensity later that day, and received the name Gail as a result. On October 9, Gail became a hurricane, before weakening back to a tropical storm the following day, and beginning to turn more towards the northwest. On October 11, Gail weakened to a tropical depression, before weakening to a remnant low. The remnant low of Gail persisted for another 12 hours, before dissipating completely over the open Atlantic. There were no known deaths or damages from Gail whilst active. Hurricane Hilary This system was first noted as a tropical depression on October 21 whilst located near the coast of Venezuela, before intensifying into a tropical storm early the following morning, receiving the name Hilary in the process. Hilary then made landfall in Columbia the following day, before moving out into the Gulf of Panama. On October 23, Hilary reached hurricane strength, before making landfall in Nicaragua the following day as a Category 2, emerging out into the Eastern Pacific later that day. In the Pacific, Hilary moved towards the west-northwest, until dissipating on October 26. Whilst active, Hilary caused the deaths of 21 people, and at leas $55 million in damages. Hurricane Irene This system was first noted as a tropical depression on November 3, before it intensified into a tropical storm later the same day whilst approaching the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, receiving the name Irene in the process. Whilst moving overland, Irene continued to intensify, and after emerging into the Gulf of Mexico, became a hurricane on November 6 prior to making landfall in Mexico at peak intensity. Moving inland, Irene quickly weakened over the mountainous terrain, and dissipated on November 7. Whilst active, Irene caused the deaths of 9 people, and $75 million in damages. Storm names Category:Hypothetical Events